1. Research the Candidates and Issues

When you eventually get to discussing with your friends and neighbors why they ought to take time out of their busy lives to vote, what will you say? How will you be voting, and why?

Places To Look: There are a lot of great groups that rate current Members of Congress, and you can track down their “scorecards” and ratings on issues that matter to you. Do you run a small business? Check out your trade association’s website. Find out who your fellow Tea Partiers are supporting. Like what Americans for Prosperity or FreedomWorks are doing? Check out their sites for who is speaking about their issues.

Tip: Ask yourself: Why are you voting this year and why should your neighbors care about voting this year? Think about your neighbor’s potential objections. How can you answer in ways that will bring them around to your point of view?